1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical plug assembly which accommodates a multiple voltage and more particularly, to an improved plug assembly including a main plug member with a pair of main plugs, a pair of elongated cylindrical apertures and a pair of elongated rectangular apertures, and a plug adapter member with a pair of cylindrically shaped terminals and a pair of elongated cylindrical first apertures disposed on one side wall and a pair of rectangular shaped terminals and a pair of elongated cylindrical second apertures disposed on the other side wall thereof, the cylindrical shaped terminals and rectangular shaped terminals connecting to the first and second apertures, respectively, whereby the plug assembly enables the selective use of either one terminal or other terminals depending upon high voltage or low voltage usage.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of electric plugs for use in dual voltages are well known in the art. Such electric plugs include a voltage converting device or a pair of plugs disposed therein. However, such electric plugs suffer from a number of problems such as, for example, the voltage converting device is frequently out of order; when one of pair of plugs is in an inoperative position, the other of them has to be masked so that it is inconvenient for operation thereof; and it is dangerous since it often occurs the accidental interference between the plugs.
For example, as shown in FIG. 8, there is an electrical plug assembled with at least one high voltage or one low voltage plug adapter 30. However, since these plug adapters are of various types, it is difficult to find a proper plug adapter and to safe-keep them.
In order to solve the above problems, as shown in FIG. 9, Korean Utility Model Publication No. 87-1384 discloses a dual function, electrical plug including a plug adapter 40 with a pair of 110 voltage terminals 50 and a pair of 220 voltage terminals 60 disposed on opposing sides thereof, respectively, and an electrical plug 70 with a pair of elongated apertures 80 and 90 for slidably receiving the pair of elongated terminals 50 and 60, respectively. However, when the dual function, electrical plug is separated from a plug receptacle, the plug adapter 40 always remains on the plug receptacle and it is dangerous to pull out the plug adapter 40 from the plug receptacle. In order to solve the above problem, the dual function, electrical plug is provided with a latch 100. However, such dual function, electrical plug is complicated in structure and is not economical in use.
Another Korean Utility Model Publication No. 92-4314 discloses a dual function, electrical plug including a pair of electrical wires for use in a 110 voltage and a 220 voltage. However, since the 110 and 220 voltage wires are positioned adjacent to each other, use thereof can be dangerous.
Furthermore, these dual function, electrical plugs of Korean Utility Model Publication Nos. 87-1384 and 92-4314 do not disclose the use of a pair of projecting engagement members extending from the electrical plug so that they are difficult to use without the plug adapter.